Moving plants to Pennsylvania · Can I Bring My Plants?

Houseplants (no outdoor soil)

Depends

This one depends on where you are leaving from. 13 states are treated differently from the rest.

From most states: What Pennsylvania publishes about houseplants is a rule for nurseries and sellers, not for moving your own. We have not found one that covers bringing them yourself.

Source & details

Pennsylvania treats 13 origins differently

Alabama: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

Arkansas: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

California: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

Florida: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

Georgia: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

Louisiana: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

Mississippi: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

North Carolina: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

Oklahoma: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

South Carolina: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

Tennessee: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

Texas: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

Virginia: Conditional . This state has imported fire ants, so soil, plants, baled hay and straw leaving it need a Certificate of Inspection from the state you're leaving. Houseplants included.

A certificate of inspection must always accompany all wholesale lots or out-of-state shipments.

Under Pennsylvania's Plant Pest Act nursery stock is defined as: All trees, shrubs, brambles, woody vines, woody florist stock, herbaceous perennials, vegetable plants, bedding and other annual herbaceous plants, their roots, cuttings, grafts, scions, buds, fruit pits, seeds and their parts for propagation, except bulbs, field crop seeds, vegetable seeds, flower seeds, regardless of where the material may have been grown or is growing.

Plant Merchant Certification, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture · Plant Merchant Certification | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania · checked 15 Sep 2026

Houseplants in every state

Potted plants in soil

Depends

This one depends on where you are leaving from. 6 states are treated differently from the rest.

From most states: What Pennsylvania publishes about potted plants in soil is a rule for nurseries and sellers, not for moving your own. We have not found one that covers bringing them yourself.

Source & details

Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving

Imported fire ant (7 CFR 301.81): Leaving a fire ant quarantine area with soil, baled hay or plants rooted in soil needs a federal certificate or permit, attached to the container, wherever you're going. (NM's only county was deregulated in Aug. 2025.) Leaving Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, or parts of Arkansas, California, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia. 7 CFR 301.81 Imported Fire Ant: Federal Domestic Quarantine (California PQM 214)

Witchweed (7 CFR 301.80): Witchweed is regulated in a handful of Carolina counties, not the whole of either state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of the Carolinas, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of North Carolina, South Carolina. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart O: Witchweed (eCFR)

Golden nematode (7 CFR 301.85): Golden nematode is regulated in parts of a few New York counties, not the whole state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of New York, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of New York. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart R: Golden Nematode (eCFR)

A certificate of inspection must always accompany all wholesale lots or out-of-state shipments.

By applying for certification, a nursery dealer verifies that he will buy and sell only plants that have been inspected and certified.

Plants, land, and water Plant Merchant Certification Under Pennsylvania's Plant Pest Act nursery stock is defined as: All trees, shrubs, brambles, woody vines, woody florist stock, herbaceous perennials, vegetable plants, bedding and other annual herbaceous plants, their roots, cuttings, grafts, scions, buds, fruit pits, seeds and their parts for propagation, except bulbs, field crop seeds, vegetable seeds, flower seeds, regardless

Plant Merchant Certification, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture · Plant Merchant Certification, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture · Plant Merchant Certification | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania · checked 14 Sep 2026

Potted plants in soil in every state

Citrus trees

Depends

This one depends on where you are leaving from. 2 states are treated differently from the rest.

From most states: What Pennsylvania publishes about citrus trees is a rule for nurseries and sellers, not for moving your own. We have not found one that covers bringing them yourself.

Source & details

Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving

Citrus greening and Asian citrus psyllid (7 CFR 301.76): Citrus plants may not be moved interstate out of a citrus greening quarantine area unless a specific provision allows it. APHIS asks people not to mail or carry home-grown citrus plants out at all. Leaving Georgia, Florida, or parts of Alabama, California, Louisiana, South Carolina, Texas. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart N: Citrus Greening and Asian Citrus Psyllid (eCFR)

A certificate of inspection must always accompany all wholesale lots or out-of-state shipments.

By applying for certification, a nursery dealer verifies that he will buy and sell only plants that have been inspected and certified.

Plants, land, and water Plant Merchant Certification Under Pennsylvania's Plant Pest Act nursery stock is defined as: All trees, shrubs, brambles, woody vines, woody florist stock, herbaceous perennials, vegetable plants, bedding and other annual herbaceous plants, their roots, cuttings, grafts, scions, buds, fruit pits, seeds and their parts for propagation, except bulbs, field crop seeds, vegetable seeds, flower seeds, regardless of where the materia

Plant Merchant Certification, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture · Plant Merchant Certification, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture · Plant Merchant Certification | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania · checked 14 Sep 2026

Citrus trees in every state

Other fruit trees

Depends

This one depends on where you are leaving from. 12 states are treated differently from the rest.

From most states: What Pennsylvania publishes about fruit trees other than citrus is a rule for nurseries and sellers, not for moving your own. We have not found one that covers bringing them yourself.

Source & details

Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving

Spongy moth (trees and shrubs with roots) (7 CFR 301.45): A tree or shrub with roots needs a federal certificate or permit to leave a spongy moth quarantine area. Anything greenhouse-grown all year is exempt, so this is about what has been living in your garden. Leaving Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, or parts of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart E: Gypsy Moth (eCFR)

A certificate of inspection must always accompany all wholesale lots or out-of-state shipments.

By applying for certification, a nursery dealer verifies that he will buy and sell only plants that have been inspected and certified.

Plants, land, and water Plant Merchant Certification Under Pennsylvania's Plant Pest Act nursery stock is defined as: All trees, shrubs, brambles, woody vines, woody florist stock, herbaceous perennials, vegetable plants, bedding and other annual herbaceous plants, their roots, cuttings, grafts, scions, buds, fruit pits, seeds and their parts for propagation, except bulbs, field crop seeds, vegetable seeds, flower seeds, regardless

Plant Merchant Certification, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture · Plant Merchant Certification, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture · Plant Merchant Certification | Commonwealth of Pennsylvania · checked 14 Sep 2026

Other fruit trees in every state

Nursery stock & shrubs

Depends

This one depends on where you are leaving from. 18 states are treated differently from the rest.

From most states: What Pennsylvania publishes about nursery stock and shrubs is a rule for nurseries and sellers, not for moving your own. We have not found one that covers bringing them yourself.

Source & details

Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving

Imported fire ant (7 CFR 301.81): Leaving a fire ant quarantine area with soil, baled hay or plants rooted in soil needs a federal certificate or permit, attached to the container, wherever you're going. (NM's only county was deregulated in Aug. 2025.) Leaving Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, or parts of Arkansas, California, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia. 7 CFR 301.81 Imported Fire Ant: Federal Domestic Quarantine (California PQM 214)

Spongy moth (trees and shrubs with roots) (7 CFR 301.45): A tree or shrub with roots needs a federal certificate or permit to leave a spongy moth quarantine area. Anything greenhouse-grown all year is exempt, so this is about what has been living in your garden. Leaving Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, or parts of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart E: Gypsy Moth (eCFR)

Witchweed (7 CFR 301.80): Witchweed is regulated in a handful of Carolina counties, not the whole of either state. Leaving one of those with soil or plants that carry it needs a federal certificate or permit; the rest of the Carolinas, it doesn't apply. Leaving parts of North Carolina, South Carolina. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart O: Witchweed (eCFR)

A certificate of inspection must always accompany all wholesale lots or out-of-state shipments.

By applying for certification, a nursery dealer verifies that he will buy and sell only plants that have been inspected and certified.

Plant Merchant Certification, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture · Plant Merchant Certification, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture · checked 14 Sep 2026

Nursery stock & shrubs in every state

Cut flowers & bouquets

No data

No data yet on bringing cut flowers and bouquets into Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is the office that answers this one.

Seeds & bulbs

No data

What Pennsylvania publishes about seeds and bulbs is a rule for nurseries and sellers, not for moving your own. We have not found one that covers bringing them yourself.

Source & details

A certificate of inspection must always accompany all wholesale lots or out-of-state shipments.

All trees, shrubs, brambles, woody vines, woody florist stock, herbaceous perennials, vegetable plants, bedding and other annual herbaceous plants, their roots, cuttings, grafts, scions, buds, fruit pits, seeds and their parts for propagation, except bulbs, field crop seeds, vegetable seeds, flower seeds, regardless of where the material may have been grown

Plant Merchant Certification, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture · Plant Merchant Certification, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture · checked 14 Sep 2026

Seeds & bulbs in every state

Firewood

Conditional

Treatment

You can't bring firewood in from out of state unless it's been heat-treated to 71.1°C for 75 minutes and properly labelled.

Because of: State firewood rules.

Source & details

Federal quarantines, depending where you are leaving

Gypsy moth (outdoor household articles) (7 CFR 301.45): Firewood counts as an outdoor household article. Moving it out of a gypsy moth quarantine area needs a certificate, or the self-inspection checklist from the "Don’t Move Gypsy Moth" program aid. Leaving Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, or parts of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia. 7 CFR Part 301 Subpart E: Gypsy Moth (eCFR)

The state of Pennsylvania prohibits the movement of all types of firewood into the state from out-of-state sources , unless it has been certified, heat-treated to 71.

PA firewood rules, Don’t Move Firewood (The Nature Conservancy) · checked 14 Sep 2026 · the general rule is clear, this exact case isn’t spelled out

Firewood in every state

Hay & straw

Depends

This one depends on where you are leaving from. 13 states are treated differently from the rest.

From most states: No data yet on bringing hay and straw into Pennsylvania.